


In War and in Peace

by Zandilar



Category: XCOM, XCOM 2 (2016)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-22
Updated: 2016-02-22
Packaged: 2018-05-22 14:52:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6083721
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zandilar/pseuds/Zandilar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the war wears on, moments of peace are hard to come by.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In War and in Peace

**Author's Note:**

> Or how two squaddies in XCom 2 came and smacked the author in the head and cried "ship us!"

**Half A Year Ago Or So**

Lauren "All Day" Wilson was so absorbed in what she was listening to, that she didn't even notice Freya until she slapped her on the knee. She looked  up at the other woman quizzically.

"You and Eight Ball should just get a room already," the other woman said.

"What?" Lauren asked, fumbling with her ipod, trying to turn it off. But it was too late, Freya had plucked out one of her earbuds and put it up against her own ear. They both listened to the female voice saying "Dario è sempre in ritardo, Dario is always late" a couple of times over. Freya raised an eyebrow.

"You and Eight Ball should just get a room already," Freya finally repeated once Lauren had managed to pause the playback.

"What are you talking about?" Lauren asked.

"Come on All Day, it's obvious you want her... You should get it over with, maybe you'll be less distracted," Freya replied, "You've got it so bad, you're trying to teach yourself _Italian_ for god's sake."

"I just thought it would be better if one of us could talk to her in her own language," Lauren said, "She hardly speaks in English as it is, and I..."

"She might not speak English much, but I guarantee you that she understands English as well as anyone else on the team," Freya said, "And if your worry is she doesn't feel the same about you, you should just talk to her - it will be as much of a happy ending as any one of us will get."

 

***

**Sometime Before the End**

The end of the world. At least that's what it felt like to Lauren. The campaign had been long and hard fought, and they were nearly done - the end of their resources, the end of their healthy soldiers, the end of the line. Only a few more missions before they would win, or the world would come tumbling down around everyone, and the pressure was starting to tell. Last mission, Freya had managed to catch the edge of her own grenade, and while Lauren had carried her out of the area, once they got back to the Avenger it had been touch and go for a few hours - but she was out of the fight long term, and it was possible the Brit would never be able to resume active duty with XCom. Still, Freya's mistake had saved the whole squad, though the cost might be more than anyone should be asked to bear.

Now Lauren was trying to help a newbie learn the ropes as a heavy, and he was pigheaded and stubborn, and didn't take her seriously because she was a woman. She honestly didn't know how Freya had managed to keep him in check - but at least her efforts at learning Italian had paid off - the man was a compatriot of Eight Ball's, and his English was worse than hers had been in the beginning. In the end, training him was now her duty, like it or not. So preoccupied with her thoughts, the door opening on her left escaped her attention, and it wasn't until two strong hands grabbed her arm and yanked that she was aware of her danger. If she'd been on a mission, she'd probably be dead. As it was someone was closing the door behind her then shoving her up against it. In the dim light of the unused bunk room, Lauren could barely make out a familiar face.

"You need to pay better attention, All Day," said Eight Ball, "I could have thrown a grenade at your feet and I don't think you would notice the explosion."

"Eight... I'm tired," Lauren said, "I was heading to my bunk."

"And we are not in the field," Eight Ball said, "So, 'no worries' right?"

Lauren couldn't help but smile at the Italian's attempt at an Australian-ism (complete with a cute but very bad Australian accent), "Sì, no worries," she said. As they looked at each other for a long silent moment, Lauren was quite aware of the other woman's body pressed against hers. She'd wanted to broach the subject of her attraction with Eight Ball many times before, but while she hardly ever flinched in the face of aliens trying to kill her, every time she got the other woman alone her courage failed her - as it was right now.

"I did not just bring you in here to make a prank," Eight Ball finally said, "I want to talk."

Of course. She probably just wanted to talk about the battles to come. She tried not to sigh in disappointment, and let her head rest back against the door.

"Sure, Eight Ball," she said, "I'm not so tired that I can't listen. Shoot."

"Please, while we're here alone call me Sandra," Eight Ball said, her voice hushed.

Oh. There was something about her tone that made butterflies flutter in Lauren's belly.

"Well, you know that goes both ways, Sandra," said Lauren.

"Lauren..." Sandra began, lingering on her name, then paused and muttered something under her breath in Italian. Lauren knew enough now to think it might have been 'Freya better be right...' - but that all went out of her head when she realised that Sandra was leaning more firmly into her, and lifting up just enough to kiss her. Sandra's lips were slightly chapped, but soft as she pressed close. The warmth of her body soaked into Lauren like sunlight on a fair day. She couldn't help the soft moan as their mouths opened to each other, and slipped her arms around Sandra's waist, holding her tightly. The moment seemed to stretch for hours, but eventually they stopped and looked at each other.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted that," Lauren said after a pause.

"As long as I have, I hope," Sandra said, "At least."

Lauren gave a short laugh, "So you're saying back on that first mission when we were both rookies?"

"Sì, at least that long," Sandra told her, "But even before, when we came first to HQ. You looked a... adorable," she reached up to brush Lauren's shaggy fringe, "Your hair got in your eyes, and Cougar yelled at you. You still haven't cut it. You looked like a sheep dog."

Lauren raised an eyebrow, and tried not to smile, "Are you calling me a bitch?"

Sandra shook her head, and then kissed her again taking her breath away.

After a while they stood with Lauren's back still against the door, Sandra's head on her shoulder, and their arms around each other, just drinking the other's presence in.

"What does this mean, Sandra?" Lauren asked.

"It means something," Sandra replied, "What do you want it to mean?"

"If it's not completely selfish of me," Lauren said, "I want it to mean more, to mean everything. But I don't think life is going to be that kind. Either of us could be killed in the next little while, because that's what our life is like right now."

"I have been a coward for too long," Sandra said after a moment, "I love you, Lauren."

"Wow," Lauren said, feeling a little dizzy, "I... I didn't expect that."

"As you say, life is too short," Sandra said, "You... If either of us die... I wanted to make sure you knew how I felt."

"Well, for the record," Lauren said, watching Sandra's face, "I love you too."

Sandra's eyes gleamed with tears, and then they were kissing and kissing again. And for a few hours, they allowed themselves to find some peace in each other before it was time to go back to war.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N 1: Based on the first squad I took through XCom 2. All of the characters, but one, were created by the game randomly. The exception being Alessandra Cavalieri (though Eight Ball is the nickname the game came up with).
> 
> A/N 2: At one point in the game I had Eight Ball and All Day standing next to each other on the mission prep screen and my brain went Lauren likes her, and doesn't know she likes her back... Shipshipshipyship! Yes, that's all it takes - two characters that are basically a bunch of numbers stepping out of the game and smacking me in the head as if they'd been written by Bioware. I do have ideas for a longer piece involving them (and the rest of their squad), but I wouldn't hold my breath to see it.
> 
> A/N 3: In War and in Peace Squad List  
> Squad Lead:  
> Col. Jane "Cougar" Kelly, Ranger. Ireland  
> Squad Second:  
> Maj. Amy "Freya" Harris, Grenadier. UK  
> The Rest:
> 
> Lt. Lauren "All Day" Wilson, Grenadier. Australia  
> Lt. Alessandra (Sandra) "Eight Ball" Cavalieri, Sharpshooter. Italy  
> Sgt. Sandra "Werewolf" Anderson, PsiOp. USA  
> Cpl. Jose "Jammer" Diaz, Specialist. Brazil
> 
> By the end of the game all my main squad were Colonels (I basically cheated to keep the squaddies all healed between missions, which meant no one had down time, which meant they all got to Colonel before the end). Given that's not how things work in real life, I've taken liberties with the roster as presented, as well as the ranks. It's a bit of a hybrid with the hand waving that XCom is only sort of a military outfit.


End file.
